The Silver Suitcase Airstream

The Silver Suitcase Airstream

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Doors Be Gone!


We're on the path towards finishing!

Tuesday, Jacob came by and took all the cabinet doors off.  The bases are going to be painted white (painting started today!), and yesterday, Alf came by and hauled off the sleeper sofa to be reupholstered.  It doesn't look like much yet, but here's a shot of the cabinet doors off- I really felt no pangs of guilt tossing out the horrible fakey 1980s stained-glass doors on the AV cabinet.  In fact, I would have taken a hammer to them if I wouldn't have had to have cleaned up the mess myself.


Friday, May 24, 2013

Airstream Renovation: What the Hell Have You Been Doing All This Time?




So here's what I am up against.  The 1980's versus my current taste.

I decided that I am going to paint the whole interior.  Curt, my painter from Las Palmas Painting is getting a guy in late next week to spend the day painting the interior walls white, as well as all the cabinet bases.

The cabinet doors will all come off.  They are getting white MDF doors that will cover most of the cabinet base surface.  I am using dead stock hardware from Modern Homes- some cool chrome pulls.

The flooring is from Flooring Innovations in Cathedral City- it's a woven surface- like Chilewich- but this is a metallic silvery-grey that will pull in the exterior flash inside- this product is called Plynyl.

The counters still need to be priced out, but I picked an Italian formica/laminate that picks up the green in the Marimekko print that you see above the couch, which will be all the window coverings- I LOVE this kooky floral- reminds me of Trina Turk's print from 10 years ago or so called Crazy Botanical.  If Trina had sold that through Schumacher, I would have been ordering that!

The sofa is going to come out and be recovered in a green Sunbrella fabric that matches the Marimekko green.

The two dainty twin beds in the back bedroom are coming out and will be replaced with a queen sleeper- so the nightstand between the two beds have to go, too!

Will keep you updated as the work starts!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Ding Dong: The Airstream Has a Doorbell!


Matthew under the awning of his 32' Airstream Excella

I couldn't believe it when I pushed this little button on the side of the grab handle- this Airstream has a doorbell, with a real chime.  No wonder these are called the Cadillacs of Trailers!


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Let's Hang Out a Little: Three Hours in My Airstream

I spent a few hours hanging out in my Airstream this morning at the Happy Traveler RV Park in Palm Springs.  There is some really terrible things going on inside the trailer, but it all happened in the 80's when lots of things just looked like crap.  The worst thing is all the cheap looking oak cabinets.  I love the TV Aerial that has a little cranky handle to raise it up and lower it.  I figured out how to extend the giant blue-and-white stripe awnings, which really made it a lot cooler inside.  The Airstream came from Montana, and I was agast when the Airstream DIGITAL system monitor lit up at -40 for the temperature!  It quickly jumped up to 97 degrees as it woke up in Palm Springs.  I spent time waiting around for measurements for drapes, sofa reupholstery, flooring, and countertops.



My Life in a Can: I Bought an Airstream


Well, I bit the bullet and bought an Airstream.  A whole lot of Airstream.  32' feet of it.  I am going to try to blog about it daily, starting with the whole renovation of the interior.  I found this one on ebay in Montana- the seller described it very well, answered all my questions and was willing to deliver the trailer to The Happy Traveler RV park in tony South Palm Springs.  Today, I am meeting a drapery person, a flooring guy, the upholsterer, and a cabinet guy to get the ball rolling.  I am very excited, and terribly nervous about the whole transition to living in a can.  A big silver suitcase, as my cousin calls it.  Did I mention that I am going to live in it for 12 (yes, twelve) months and write about the experience- the trailer park, being in a tiny space, blah, blah, blah.  Tune in for more information later!